4.13.2009

A few bad apples

In general, Sounders fans have been absolutely amazing during the run-up to the beginning of the 2009 season, and the first few weeks into it. 3 sellouts, standing the whole game, raising scarves, chanting, cheering, generally being great soccer supporters. But during this period everything was going right for the franchise. The question hung overhead - how would fans respond to the first bit of adversity?

Well, it came Saturday night in a tough 1-0 loss to Kansas City. And the response was disappointing. During the game objects were thrown at the referees, though I didn't see anything worse than what looked like a paper airplane. And after the game, as the players walked off the pitch in the southeast corner of the stadium, two separate fans reportedly threw beer down on the players. One of the fans was ejected by police. At the other end of the pitch the referees were walking off, and I saw at least one fan spit down on them.

This is crap. Sounders fans can't be doing this. So maybe the referees didn't have a particularly good game. Guess what? It happens. This is MLS, which is not the top league in the world, and as such we won't be treated to the top referees in the world either. We have to get used to it, and we have to be smarter. And there's no excuse for throwing beer, or any projectiles really, at the players on the pitch. Ever.

Granted, this was a few isolated incidents, and the majority of the fans were reasonable, sending nothing more than a massive chorus of boos at the referees. But it's the bad apples that get the negative publicity. And as a young club, negative publicity is something we should avoid like the plague. So let's continue to be passionate - but reasonable - fans. There's a lot of season left, and it will contain a lot of adversity. Sounders fans should deal with it better.

4 comments:

I believe it is the fan's right to yell at refs. I don't think I have ever been to a professional sporting event of any kind where the ref was not heckled or booed. Baseball, football or basketball. Those refs sucked, they missed handballs and many other calls. Absolutely we have to draw the line at projectiles. I have been to games in White Hart Lane and we are still very mild. Go Sounders and if you don't like how soccer fans act, you have never been and maybe you should stay at home and watch the price is right.

I was one of the people yelling at the refs in the Northeast endzone. I can confirm that someone did attempt to spit on the refs. I was totally ashamed for simply witnessing such stupidity. I think heckling the refs is all in good fun, but anything more than speaking your mind crosses the line. Sounders fans shouldn't be acting like caged animals.